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CNET Editors' Rating

The GoodThe Griffin SmartTalk Solar automatically turns itself on and off when you enter and exit the vehicle. Simple Bluetooth pairing eliminates the need to enter a PIN. A solar cell allows the SmartTalk Solar to charge itself in direct sunlight.

The BadOutside of the solar-charging gimmick, this is a very basic Bluetooth speakerphone with no advanced features.

The Bottom LineThe power of the sun means that you'll never have to think about charging the Griffin SmartTalk Solar.

6.0 Overall

Design8.0

Features5.0

Performance5.0

Review Sections

The SmartTalk Solar from Griffin Technology is, at first glance, a simple Bluetooth speakerphone. The unit measures slightly over 3.5 inches in length and just a bit under 2 inches wide (comparable to the footprint of a business card) and is about .5 inch thick. It has four buttons for volume up and down, mode select, and a large multifunction button -- so called because the multifunction button is used for virtually all of the device's functions. The face of the unit is also home to a small loudspeaker and a hidden echo-canceling microphone. In the box, you'll also find a 12-volt-to-USB charger and a short length of Micro-USB cable.

Harnessing the power of the sun

However, on the back of the unit (where standard speakerphones have a visor clip) the SmartTalk Solar features a photovoltaic cell -- more commonly known as a solar panel. That's because the SmartTalk Solar's standout feature is that it can be charged with the power of the sun. Rather than a visor clip, the SmartTalk Solar ships with a transparent plastic cradle that leaves an opening for the solar panel and attaches to your car's windshield with a pair of suction cups.

If you find yourself worrying about the SmartTalk crashing down on you while you're driving, know that the unit weights next to nothing and the suction cups will only release the device from a clean windshield with significant effort on the part of the user.

According to the user's manual, charging the SmartTalk Solar using only direct sunlight takes about 9 hours, so you'll probably want to do at least the initial charge with the included 12-volt-to-Micro-USB charger. I was unable to find published talk and standby times for the SmartTalk Solar, and because it lacks a battery status indicator, you're pretty much left guessing what the charge level is until the low-battery warning pops. That said, because the SmartTalk Solar is constantly charging when used during the day, that didn't become an issue during my testing.

Antuan Goodwin gained most of his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and performance to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable. Email Antuan, follow him on Twitter, or like him on Facebook.
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